Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 4, 1 April 2014 — Molokaʻi competition celebrates Hawaiʻi's mother tongue [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Molokaʻi competition celebrates Hawaiʻi's mother tongue

By Cheryl Corbiell Moloka'i's Hawaiian language educators turned a dream into reality by staging the first 'Aha Ho'okūkū 'Ōlelo Hawaiian Language Competition in February in honor of Mahina Aloha 'Ōlelo, Hawaiian Language Month. In 2013 a new law was passed recognizing February as 'Ōlelo Hawai'i Month, codifying into law a longstanding practice of the Hawaiian language community. "Language is the foundation of the Hawaiian culture because an individual understands the culture through the language," said event organizer Kilia Purdy-Avelino. "Therefore the Moloka'i event was to honor, preserve and perpetuate 'ōlelo makuahine; instill pride among Hawaiian speakers; encourage non-speakers to leam the language; and inspire young speakers to speak Hawaiian in the community and not just at school." Tuming an idea into a reality was challenging because of a whirlwind of planning details such as inviting offisland judges, choosing passages and completing countless tasks in less than

a month. Participants had only three weeks to practice for the two-hour event. On the moming of Feb. 28, the eommiūee was relieved to have 30 participants and a class registered, but by the start of the day's eompehtion at Kūlana 'Ōiwi Hālau, a dozen more individuals had registered. The event became a four-hour marathon of Hawaiian language delighting over 150 community supporters and cheerleaders. The event categories were Pa'ana'au (memorized ali'i verse) and Uluwale (impromptu speaking). The ali'i speeches chosen originated from the University of Hawai'i's Hawaiian Language Newspaper Project. Elementaryage keiki recited verses such as "The Law of the Splintered Paddle: Kānāwai Māmalahoe," while older keiki individually recited passages from the Kumulipo, a chant telling a creation story and a genealogy of the members of the Hawaiian royalty. The 'O Hina I Ka Malama class sang and chanted the Kumulipo as a group. The Uluwale participants were asked random questions about Moloka'i and Hawaiian language and culture and participants

delivered spontaneous two- to fourminute answers. "The enthusiasm of the participants was heartwarming," said Manuwai Peters, Hawaiian language advocate and former language immersion teacher. "They put themselves out on a limb by memorizing lengthy verses and overcoming the fear of speaking in public. Keiki to kūpuna stood in the spotlight before well-known Hawaiian speakers who volunteered as judges, such as 0'ahu's Lolena Nicholas, Puakea Nogelmeier, Kamuela Yim, and from Moloka'i Mikiala Pascaia and Kainoa Pali." Ekolu Ah-Yee was a participant in the spotlight as a college first-year speaker and overcame his nervousness to speak in public to honor his late grandmother's birthday, whieh was on Feb. 28. "I wanted to make her proud on her birthday by speaking the language she loved. She is my inspiration to succeed, and her guidance kept me on the straight path," said Ah-Yee. "I want to reach for the top." Ah-Yee won first prize

in the college category. The participants were assessed on their greeting, correct pronunciation, proper inflections, tone and body language reflecting the verse, and closing words. "The participants not only memorized the words, they had to understand what the words meant in order to pause and accentuate in the right places," said Peters. The highest scoring participants won prizes such as a kōnane board, 'ukulele, poi board and books. The highest overall score of the evening won the perpetual trophy, whieh was a wood niho palaoa, carved in the shape of a traditional pendant wom by Hawaiian chiefs. The stylized tongue symbolizes the Hawaiian language. The overall winner of the perpetual trophy was Kamakaleihiwa Purdy-Avelino, who flawlessly recited the entire first sections of the Kumulipo, a 122-line verse. "Over a hundred years ago, a U.S. law outlawed the Hawaiian language in public and private schools. Then in the 1980s, the

Hawaiian language was reintroduced into public schools in the first elementary school immersion classes. The 'Aha Ho'okūkū 'Ōlelo competition demonstrated that the Hawaiian language is vibrantly alive in the Moloka'i community," said organizer Kilia Purdy-Avelino. "The event reminded everyone who attended and participated - Hawaiian language speakers and non-speakers - that they were honoring the kūpuna who kept the language alive and inspiring the perpetuation of 'ōlelo in the Moloka'i community. The Hawaiian language doesn't just live ina schools; it is onee again a part of the community's future." Funding from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Community Outreach Program assisted in staging the family-oriented free event. ■

Chervl Corhi.ell is an instructor at the University of Hawai'i Maui. College-Moloka'i. and coordi.nator for TeenACE and ACE Readi.ng programs.

'Aha Ho'okūkū 'Ōlelo 2014 Competition grand prize winner Kamakaleihiwa Purdy-Avelino with judges. - Courtesy photo